Training cushion

ABSTRACT

A back cushion for improving the mobility of the shoulder blades when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles. The back cushion has at least one pad formed of an elastic material, which includes a support region which, in terms of its length, at least corresponds to the length of the human thoracic spine and which has a plane resting surface and, lying opposite thereto, an outwardly arched support surface, and a device for fastening to an exercise bench. There is also provided a description regarding use of such a back cushion as a support when working out the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles.

The invention relates to a back cushion for improving the mobility of the shoulder blades during chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscle exercise.

Tests in the field of sports science have shown that chest muscle exercise, such as e.g. bench pressing, on conventional exercise devices can often lead to shoulder discomfort. The main reason for such discomfort is the lack of adaptation of the instruments to the anatomical build of the human shoulder joint (articulatio humeri). In particular, the movement amplitude of the shoulder blade (scapula) is often minimized in this case. As a consequence, the head of the humerus (caput humeri) is excessively pressed into the joint socket of the shoulder joint (cavitas glenoidalis).

By way of example, if the elbows move downward or backward (dorsally) as a result of a downward movement of the barbell during conventional bench pressing, a retraction of the shoulder blade can be reduced due to the back lying on the bench, as a result of which there can be a horizontal hyperextension of the humerus. During the last phase of an upward movement (ventral), when the barbell is pressed away from the body, the protraction can be inhibited. This causes a horizontal hyperflexion of the humerus, and the respective shoulder blade and the humerus do not move synergetically. This movement causes a type of lurching movement, during which the highest point of the shoulder is dragged in the direction of the elbows.

A frequent repetition of this lurching movement of the humerus can lead to an overload of the rotator cuff (musculus supraspinatus, m. subscapularis, m. infraspinatus, m. teres minor). At the lowest point of the movement, when the humerus lurches forward (ventral), the tendon of the subscapularis (m. subscapularis) may possibly no longer be able to transmit sufficient support action. In the case of a permanent incorrect position during exercise, this can, in the medium-term, lead to tear injuries and inflammations. Moreover, there is a risk of wearing the joint cartilage, with a permanent damage of the joint.

In general, the aforementioned anatomical problems may occur in all forms of exercise for the chest, shoulder or triceps muscles (m. triceps brachii) where both arms are moved together against a force vector which has a frontal component and the back should therefore be supported, preferably by means of a bench, against this component of the force vector. Therefore, from the biomechanical point of view, the shoulder blade should be able to pull back sufficiently at this point in order to allow the subscapularis an improved contraction and therefore reduce or avoid a harmful anterior shearing force at the rear humerus.

The invention is based on the object of specifying an exercise instrument which enables chest muscle exercise that is as comprehensive and flexible as possible and which, in the process, ensures the highest possible mobility of the shoulder blades. Furthermore, the invention is based on the object of specifying an advantageous use for such an exercise instrument.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a back cushion for improving the mobility of the shoulder blades when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles, comprising at least one pad manufactured from an elastic material, which comprises a support region which, in terms of its length, at least corresponds to the length of the human thoracic spine and which has a plane resting surface and, lying opposite thereto, an outwardly arched support surface, and means for fastening to an exercise bench.

In particular, the, or each, pad can in this case have a plane resting surface over the entire length thereof and, in particular, a coating of the surface for increasing static friction may be comprised as a fastening means. In particular, the elasticity of the elastic material of the pad can vary and, in the process, have a different elasticity, particularly away from the support region, than in the support region.

Here, the invention is based on the consideration that an increased mobility of the shoulder blades can be achieved by virtue of the shoulder blades, where possible, not having a resting surface on the exercise bench. An already utilized option for this lies in providing an exercise bench with respective cutouts in the region of the shoulder blades such that these are not inhibited in terms of their movement by the exercise bench when the back lies on said exercise bench. However, such a procedure is unable to take into account either the natural S-form of the spinal column or anatomical differences between individual exercising persons.

A further possible solution would lie in placing a so-called “swim noodle” between the exercise bench and the back, as a result of which the shoulder blades are elevated over the exercise bench in a freely mobile manner. However, this procedure is not satisfactory since it is difficult to ensure stable movement due to the mobility of the swim noodle. This applies, in particular, to combined exercising of the chest and shoulder muscles on an inclined bench.

By contrast, the invention proposes to position the back cushion on the exercise bench and fasten it with the fastening means in such a way that the plane resting surface of the support region lies on the exercise bench and the exercising person, who is on his back, lies with his region of the thoracic spine on the outwardly arched support surface of the support region during a training exercise.

The advantage of this solution over an exercise bench with corresponding cutouts for the shoulder blades is that the back cushion and, in particular, the support region can be adapted individually to the anatomy and the weight of the exercising person, enabling improved ergonomics of the movements. Moreover, an already available exercise bench on a piece of exercise equipment can be retrofitted in a cost-effective manner.

The fastening means in this case ensure that the back cushion keeps its envisaged position on the exercise bench during the exercise unit, and so the risk of carrying out an unwanted movement as a result of incorrect positioning of the back cushion is significantly reduced.

During a training exercise, the support region is exposed to a particular load due to the force vector against which the exercising person works and which attacks dorsally in the region of the thoracic spine. As a result of the plane resting surface of the support region, the forces, which substantially act perpendicular to the resting surface, are better distributed thereover than in the case of a different cross-sectional geometry, leading to a smaller compression of the support region while having the same cross-sectional area. As a result, the form of the support region formed by the arched support surface is better maintained under the load during a training exercise, having an advantageous effect on the supporting effect thereof.

The elastic material, from which the support region is manufactured, can therefore be selected to be sufficiently soft as a result of this distribution of the forces, and so there is no excessive load on the spinous processes (processus spinosus) of the vertebrae (vertebra) as a result of the back lying on the arched support surface. Preferably, the support region should be dimensioned in such a way in this case that, in coordination with the elasticity of the material and the expected force effect from the weight of the exercising person and the exercise weights, the arched support surface has space between the shoulder blades when these are fully retracted, without touching the latter.

In particular, the, or a, pad can also have a region in this case which is provided as a support level with the lumbar region and/or the sacral bone and which, in terms of dimensioning, is formed to be wider than the support region in order to enable more stable positioning of the back during a training exercise. In particular, this region can be configured in such a way that, when an exercising person lies thereon, he lies thereon over the whole width of the back in the lumbar and/or sacral bone region.

Preferably, the fastening means comprise a number of belts. This enables quick fastening of the back cushion to an exercise bench while having high flexibility of application. In particular, each belt can be configured in two parts as a belt pair, wherein respectively one partial belt leads away from one side of the back cushion.

Preferably, the, or each, belt respectively has a closure in this case. The closure can in this case, in particular, be configured in two parts, for example as a plug-in connector with a connector and a holder or as a hook-and-loop fastener with a hook band and a felt band. In the case of a two-part belt, respectively one part of the closure can be fastened to one partial belt. Alternatively, one part of the closure can be fastened directly to a pad or directly to a sleeve surrounding the pad.

In an advantageous embodiment, the support region of the at least one pad has a length of at least 15 cm, preferably at least 25 cm, a profile width of between 6 cm and 14 cm, preferably between 8 cm and 12 cm, and a height in relation to the plane resting surface of between 5 cm and 13 cm, preferably between 7 cm and 10 cm, wherein the height is between 70% and 100% of the width. As a result of these dimensions, the supporting effect in the region of the thoracic spine is particularly ensured while simultaneously having freedom of movement of the shoulder blades.

Expediently, the support region of the at least one pad has a mean compressive strength of between 50 and 200, preferably between 70 and 150, particularly preferably between 80 and 130. Here, the mean compressive strength should be understood to mean the compressive strength of the elastic material, averaged over the whole support region, said compressive strength being defined as the force in the normal direction required to compress a cuboid of the elastic material by 40% of its height, divided by the area of the cube, wherein the resulting pressure in kPa is specified as a dimensionless numerical value multiplied by the factor 10.

Expediently, a pad has a length of between 70 cm and 140 cm, preferably between 80 cm and 120 cm. Hence, a single pad can be used for the back cushion, simplifying manufacturing.

It was found to be advantageous if the back cushion has a sleeve surrounding the at least one pad, wherein the fastening means of the back cushion are attached to the sleeve. A sleeve can protect the elastic material of the, or each, pad from damage to the surface as a result of repeated shearing loads and from chemical action, for example as a result of human sweat. In particular, the, or each, pad can be removed from the sleeve here. This allows thorough cleaning of the sleeve, without endangering the, or each, pad by the cleaning process. In particular, the sleeve can in this case be manufactured from leather and/or artificial leather and/or synthetic fiber material.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sleeve respectively has at least one lateral wing on both sides along the, or each, pad in the plane of the resting surface of the at least one pad. In particular, the fastening means can in this case be respectively attached to one lateral wing. Here, each lateral wing has a mean width of, preferably, between 2 cm and 35 cm, particularly preferably between 4 cm and 20 cm, particularly preferably between 5 cm and 10 cm, along the support region. In particular, the two lateral wings along the support region can, together with the latter, cover an exercise bench over the full width thereof and, in particular, a number of wrap-around portions at the edge of each lateral wing can be comprised as fastening means in this case.

Expediently, the, or each, pad in the sleeve is surrounded by an intermediate sleeve. Here, the intermediate sleeve can, in particular, be manufactured from Diolen wadding. As a result of an intermediate sleeve, the surface adhesion between the respective pad and the sleeve can be improved, making it more difficult for the pad to slip within the sleeve or for the sleeve to warp over the pad.

According to the invention, the object mentioned second is achieved by the use of a back cushion of the above-described type when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles. The advantages mentioned for the back cushion and the developments thereof can be transferred analogously here to the use thereof as a support when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles.

Below, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained on the basis of a drawing. In detail:

FIG. 1 schematically shows an oblique view of a back cushion with a single continuous pad and narrow lateral wings on the sleeve and

FIG. 2 schematically shows an oblique view of a back cushion with three different pads on an exercise bench.

Parts and variables corresponding to one another are provided with in each case the same reference signs in all figures.

FIG. 1 schematically shows, in an oblique view, a back cushion 1. Here, the core of the back cushion 1 is a continuous pad 2, which has a plane resting surface 4 and, lying opposite thereto, an outwardly arched support surface 6. The pad 2 is surrounded by an intermediate sleeve 8 and a sleeve 10 surrounding the latter.

Lateral wings 12 are arranged on both sides of the sleeve 10 in the plane formed by the resting surface 4 of the pad 2. In each case two belts 14, which form two belt pairs 16, extend from said lateral wings. A connector 18 of a closure 20 is respectively situated on one end of one belt 14 of a belt pair 16, while a holder 22 of the closure 20 is attached to the end of the corresponding other belt 14 such that connector 18 and holder 22 can be plugged together and hence the belts 14 can serve as means 24 for fastening to an exercise bench (not depicted in any more detail), wherein the back cushion 1 is to be placed onto the exercise bench with the resting surface 4 of the pad 2. In the depicted example, the elastic material of the pad 2 has an increased rigidity in a portion 26 of its length, by means of which the support region 28 is defined. According to the dimensioning, the support region 28 is designed to allow an exercising person, who uses the back cushion 1 on an exercise bench as a support, free mobility of the shoulder blades.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an oblique view of a back cushion 1 on an exercise bench 30. In this case, the back cushion 1 comprises three pads 2, 32, 34, wherein the central pad 2 has a plane resting surface (not depicted in any more detail), an outwardly arched support surface 6 lying opposite to said resting surface, and a support region 28 extending over the whole length thereof. The pad 2 is dimensioned in such a way that an exercising person, who lies on the exercise bench 30 with the back cushion 1, can freely move his shoulder blades and can, in particular, pull the latter back completely.

The rear pad 32 and the front pad 34 extend over the whole width of the exercise bench 30 and are manufactured from a softer elastic material than the pad 2 with the support region 28. Slight arching 36 protrudes out of the rear pad 32 in the longitudinal direction. When lying on the exercise bench 30 with the back cushion 1, an exercising person obtains increased positional stability as a result of the wider rear pad 32; moreover, the arching 36 supports the lumbar region.

The lateral wings 12 cover the regions of the exercise bench 30 which are left out by the pads 2, 32, 34. A circumferential wrap-around portion 38 is provided on the lateral wings 12 or on the sleeve 10 as means 24 for fastening to the exercise bench 30, which wrap-around portion is riveted to the exercise bench 30 by rivets 40.

Even though the invention was illustrated more closely and described in detail by the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not restricted by this exemplary embodiment. Other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Back cushion

2 Pad

4 Plane resting surface

6 Arched support surface

8 Intermediate sleeve

10 Sleeve

12 Lateral wings

14 Belt

16 Belt pair

18 Connector

20 Closure

22 Holder

24 Fastening means

26 Portion

28 Support region

30 Exercise bench

32 Rear pad

34 Front pad

36 Arching

38 Circumferential wrap-around portion

40 Rivets 

1. A back cushion for improving the mobility of the shoulder blades when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles, comprising at least one pad manufactured from an elastic material, said pad having a support region which, in terms of its length, at least corresponds to the length of the human thoracic spine and said pad having a plane resting surface and, lying opposite thereto, an outwardly arched support surface, and means for fastening to an exercise bench.
 2. The back cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprise one or a plurality of belts.
 3. The back cushion as claimed in claim 2, wherein the belt or each belt respectively has a closure.
 4. The back cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support region of the at least one pad has a length of at least 15 cm, a profile width of between 6 cm and 14 cm and a height in relation to the plane resting surface of between 5 cm and 13 cm, and wherein the height is between 70% and 100% of the width.
 5. The back cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support region of the at least one pad has a mean compressive strength of between 50 and
 200. 6. The back cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pad has a length of between 70 cm and 140 cm.
 7. The back cushion as claimed in claim 1, which has a sleeve surrounding the at least one pad, wherein the fastening means of the back cushion are attached to the sleeve.
 8. The back cushion as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sleeve respectively has at least one lateral wing on both sides along the, or each, pad in the plane of the resting surface of the at least one pad.
 9. The back cushion as claimed in claim 8, wherein the, or each, pad in the sleeve is surrounded by an intermediate sleeve.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The back cushion as claimed in claim 7, wherein the, or each, pad in the sleeve is surrounded by an intermediate sleeve.
 12. The use of a back cushion as claimed in claim 1 as a support when exercising the chest and/or shoulder and/or triceps muscles.
 13. The back cushion according to claim 1 configured as a support for exercising chest muscles, shoulder muscles, and/or triceps muscles. 